Bellows valve



Ma,y"8, 1923- 1,454,207

a. w. BEMIS BELLOWS VALVE Filed Oct, 4, 1920 m- Q a. WWW avia-kw 4%.:

Patented May 8, 1923.

GEORGE W. BEMIS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BELLOWS VALVE.

Application filed October 4, 1920.

T 0 all to hem it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BEMIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcesten-in the county of orcester and State of'Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Bellows Valve, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a valve particularly designed for bellows of the type commonly used in player pianos and in other similar mechanisms. Such valves must open and close at every stroke of the bellows and must accordingly be light in weight and quickly responsive in operation.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved valve of this type, having features of construction which afford increased reliability and efiiciency in operation and greater economy in manufacture. My improved valve is quick acting to a marked degree and affords an unusually large air opening for the passage of air therethrough.

With this general object in view, an important feature of my invention relates to a metal valve plate of improved design, formed of thin flexible metal but stiffened longitudinally to preserve the accuracy of its surface.

Another feature of my invention relates to improved devices for securing the valve to a bellows board and for limiting its stroke.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed'out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a bellows having my improved valve applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig; 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view of the valve plate.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a bellows of the usual type having a bellows board 10 provided with port openings 11 which are covered by my improved valve. The valve consists of a thin metal plate 12 and a sheet or layer 13 of thin leather suitably secured thereto. As shown in the drawings, the leather is secured to the plate 12 by metal prongs 14 stamped from the body of the plate, as fully described in my Serial No. 414,551.

prior Patent, #796,983, issued to me August 15, 1905. v

The plate 12 is formed of thin flexible metal and I have made special provision for preserving the accurate alignment of its surface. For this purpose I provide ribs 15 and 16 extending longitudinally of the plate and preferably formed by subjecting the plate to the operation of a suitable die press.

The rib 15 is shown as being positioned substantially nearer to the edge of the plate 12 than is the rib 16. This unequal spacing of the ribs is of considerable importance in packing and shipping the valves, as the valves may be reversed and placed back to back without causing the ribs 15 and 16 to engage each other and unduly separate the plates.

Holes 17 and 18 are formed adjacent opposite edges of the valve, and screws or other headed fastening devices '19 and 20 pass through these holes 17 and 18 and are secured in the bellows board 10. Cushion washers 21 of felt or other suitable material are commonly inserted between the valve and the heads of the screws 19 and 20 to prevent noise in the operation of the valve.

The screws 19 act as pivots or hinges for the valve and the screws 20 act as stops to limit the opening movement thereof. The open and closed positions of the valve are clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 1 and in the latter figure it will be noted that a relatively large opening is provided for the escape of air from the bellows.

The provision of the ribs 15 and 16 is an exceedingly important feature of my invention as it permits me to use very thin flexible stock for the plate 12 and prevents bending and distortion of the plates, particularly in handling and shipping the same.

Having thus described my invention. it will be evident that changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein isclosed but what I claim is 1. A. valve structure comprising a thin rectangular and substantially flat metal valve plate having integral longitudinally extending stiffening ribs formed on its outer surface, a facing of softer material secured to said plate, a seat for said valve and means to retain said valve plate in operative relation to said valve seat, said valve plate having limited free swinging movement as a flat unit about an edge of said plate parallel to said stiffening ribs.

2. A valve structure comprising a thin rectangular and substantially flat metal valve plate having integral longitudinally extending stiffening ribs formed on its outer surface, a facing of softer material secured to said plate, a seat for said valve and means to retain said valve plate in operative relation to said valve seat, said valve plate having limited free swinging movement as a flat unit about an edge of said plate parallel to said stiffening ribs, and said stiffening ribs being unequally spaced from the lon gitudinal edges of said plate to facilitate nesting of said plates for shipment.

3. In a bellows, a bellows board having 2.

valve seat, a freely movable valve therefor comprising a rectangular plate having openings near the opposite longitudinal edges thereof and a layer of leather secured thereto and headed positioning and stop members extending loosely through said openings and secured in said bellows board, the heads of said positioning members along one longitudinal edge of the valve plate being located nearer the outer surface of the valve plate than the heads of the stop members along the ther edge of said plate, and said valve plate thus having free tilting movement as a flat unit about the longitudinal edge adjacent the positioning members, such movement being adjustably limited by said stop members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE W. BEMIS. 

